The Girl who Shattered the Earth
by Hamlington
Summary: Taliyah has left her place in Ionia and now ventures into unknown lands in order to help save Shurima but along the way there was a mishap and now she has landed herself in the city of Zaun. There she meets a boy of whom she felt like she has known for a lifetime. TaliyahxEkko. Rated T for safety.
1. My Mistake

A/N: Aaaww yes, gotta love those cheesy romantic teen stories.

* * *

I met him because of a careless mistake. In my haste I boarded the wrong ship which lead me to a land I never even dreamed of existing. It was nothing like Shurima and more like Noxus with its streets crowded with people and incredibly tall buildings that hunched down to look down. In the beginning my distaste for Noxus clouded my judgement of the city's people and especially him. But I now see the error in my ways.

Arriving in Zaun was a sad walk to the past for me. At first I thought that I actually landed in Noxus again and hurried back to the docks but the sight of the amount of people and security now bustling around stopped my tracks. With a heavy heart I wrapped my cloak tighter around my body and turned to face what I thought was that corrupted state.

Aimlessly I wandered around the city, picking up on things that seemed odd or different within Noxus until my feet took me in front of a shop with its lights brighter than the sun that spelled: "Welcome to Scrapjack Jack's Shop: Best Scrap in Zaun!"

"Zaun…" I murmured and walked up to the sign. With a sigh of relief I smiled at the sign- this place is not Noxus, thank the Great Weaver. Because of that I wandered the city with lighter steps and heart.

Skipping across the grimy cobblestone path and black colored puddles I went on to search for a place to rest and possibly inquire people about this city. After hours of searching I finally found a quiet Inn on a corner and quickly crossed the large intersection to get to it.

Entering the place what stood out to me the most was how dimly lit it was. I could barely make out the figures that were sitting at some tables or leaning against the wall but I could feel their eyes on me as I crossed the threshold.

My footsteps sang louder than their voices and it made me hesitant of this place but Master Yasuo always said to never let fear consume you. So I marched on in and sat down at an empty stool at the bar.

"Watta ar you havin'?" The bartender walks up with a face that was molded by age and countless fights. He stared down at me with a gaze that made me pull down my hood and glance away.

"A glass of water, please. And whatever type of food I could get for a 10 copper pieces."

He huffed in response and vanished into the darkness.

"You don't sound like you're from around here, babe." A voice says to me. I glance over to the source but refused to turn and face it.

"I am not."

"What's a kid like you sittin' at this bar?"

"I am here for a simple meal. Nothing more, nothing less."

What sounded like a man snorted and remained silent. In his silence I could feel his eyes exploring my body, from the top of my head all the way down to the tip of my shoes. I could tell he was trying to figure out my origin covered my body well and gave the man no information.

"What business you got in Zaun?"

"What business do you have with me, sir?" I clasped my hands together on top of the bar, praying to the Great Weaver that the bartender would return soon so I could leave this place. But my prayers were interrupted when the man abruptly laughed and began to slap me on my back.

The shocks of the slaps froze me still and I dared to inch my face a little towards him to look at him wailing.

But it stopped as quickly as it started and I could feel the man's rancid breath on my face. "Listen brat, Zaun do not take strangers here with open arms and smiles. I do not know where you are from or your purpose here but if you want to leave this bar with all your limbs attached, you better make your business my business."

"I do not want trouble. I just boarded the wrong ship and it lead me here-"

"Are you a Piltie, girl?"

"A wha-?"

"Demacian, maybe?"

"No, as I said before I boarded-"

"What business do you have in Zaun?"

"I told you-" This man's arrogance was beginning to wear on my patience and it was no wonder why the next time he interrupted me I slammed my hand on the countertop and made my way to the door.

But the people in the bar shrouded the opening. In the darkness I couldn't count how many people were within the bar but now that I feel their presence closing in I could tell there were too many for me to fend off.

"Damn Pilties, always sending spies over to Zaun." His footsteps are closing in behind me. "You know what we do to little spies, girl?"

I turn to face the man, my face contorted into one of stoic confidence but deep down in my heart I knew I was afraid.

He reached for my face and I felt the dirt that his finger left behind on my cheek and lips. I could never forget that crooked smile or how his bloodshot eyes wandered from my face down to my body. It sends me horrible shivers everytime and I was glad that my first instinct was to simply run instead of feigning cockiness.

With the earth by my side I called it forth and two large slabs erupted from the ground and pushed the people crowded the doorway out. I haven't ran so fast since my time with Master Yasuo in Ionia. I'm sure he would understand my cowardice at that point in my life and forgive it so I kept running and running until the Inn wasn't even a speck of dust in my eyes.

I ran until I could run no more.


	2. When I met him

A/N: Sorry for the initial chapter for this. I didn't notice that it came out in a weird language!

* * *

Zaun at night was no different than the day. The sky was always showed no stars, no moon, no sort of natural cosmic light from the heavens. The light here was fabricated and man-made- so unlike Shurima.

I could remember the stars and viewing the heavens in all its glory. My father and I used to sit out during the night and he would tell me all of these great stories about the Great Weaver and her students.

When he found out about this power I hold over the earth, he never told me that I was a monster or made for destruction like the Noxians...no, he said that now I too am one of her students and to cherish the gift she has given me.

And now I see none of those sweet memories as I gaze up at the sky.

I sat near a street lamp under the hood of a stairwell that climbed up the side of a building. I watched the light flicker and waited for sleep to consume me.

Hours seem to pass and it soon began to rain softly. Even though I was physically and mentally exhausted my mind refused to be at rest so I decided then to leave. I figured a little walk would be the final straw.

For a while I wandered the streets, looking inside stores or random houses that had their curtains open. I never saw people within which struck me as peculiar but did not dwell on it.

Up ahead I see a lone figure approaching and I was immediately on guard. I slowed my pace some and watched them carefully as they came closer to me. Only when I saw it was a small child did I relax.

He looked up at me and smiled slightly before accidently bumping into me. He murmurs his sorry and dashes off into the night, not bothering to hear my reassurances.

I stared at his figure for a while as it receded into the night before it hit me. Something was off. I felt around my cloak at clothes. I couldn't sense the stones I kept from Shurima meaning...He stole my purse!

That was the final straw.

I raced after the small boy with ill intent. Today I boarded the wrong ship that lead me to a place that was the cause of my nightmares when I was younger. I was berated by a stranger, almost killed, and I damaged someone else's property. I have no place to sleep or nothing to eat. And now the only thing that kept me in touch with home was stolen by no one else but a child!

There wasn't anyway I would stand for this.

I tracked him down by feeling his faint footsteps beat against the earth. It was the only humane echo the earth would produced so I followed it. Eventually I saw his small figure huddled against a large trashcan and searching through my purse.

I watched as he threw aside my sandstones onto the wet ground. I watched as the dirty rain began to lick away the colorful sands that covered the stone into nothingness.

With a clenched jaw and I stomped towards the boy who jolted at the sound of my footsteps.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" I yelled, grabbing the stones along my way towards him. "Stealing is wrong! It teaches deceit and greed!"

I could see the shock that filled his eyes as I approached him. I could feel how his heart thudded against his ribcage and I could tell that he planned to run away from me.

He was a fast one, faster than any Eka'Sul that I've ever seen. But I was relentless and used the earth to help quicken my pace to eventually launch on him and tackle him to the ground. We both splashed with a hard thud and I fought to gain the dominant side.

Finally I grabbed his arms and forced them to ground. "Do you know what you've done?!" I yelled. "Do you know what pain you've caused me?!" He stopped struggling and looked up at me.

"Why do you steal? You are so young! Where are your parents?!"

He stayed silent, his eyes wide and glossy. The rain began to pour all around us, my cloak feeling heavier and heavier by minute as it soaked up the rain. In the distance I could hear the faint crackle of thunder which in Shurima spelled disaster. So my initial instinct was to take shelter but I refused to bulge. Instead I stayed on top of this boy, waiting for him to reply or make some sort of noise.

"I'm sorry." He whispers.

A smile cracks my face and I nod silently, the feeling of rage slowly being washed out. "Good...that's good." I murmur and released him and intended to get up. But the boy snagged my arm.

"I am sorry."

Bemused I nodded again when I then heard the faint whistling of an object coming towards me. Quickly I duck and snap my head towards the attacker. And there he stood.

He glared at me with unforgiving eyes as he prepared his next attack to which I scrambled away to dodge.

With my back on the ground I glance between his face and the luminescent stone that he clutched with his right hand. It was a beautiful stone; something that I have never seen in Shurima and it called to me flamboyantly.

"Who are you?" He asks, sticking the stone to the ground. "What do you want from him?"

"He…"

He walks over to me and crouches down. At close range I could see his features better from the hourglass painted on his face to the small scar on his lower lip. A sudden flare of nervousness filled my stomach and caused me to look away from him. "He what?"

"He stole from me. Something very precious." I flat-lined, remembering the stones. I turn to face the boy with a stare. "I just wanted him to apologize for his actions and ask him the reasons for it."

The boy demeanour falters and he sighs while bowing his head. He gets up and looks at the small boy behind him. "Is this true?"

Nervously the small boy glances at me before shaking his head. "She a liar! I neva see her before in my life!"

"Wha-!" I quickly stood up.

The bigger boy glances at me with an arched eyebrow. "He's the liar! He was the one who stole from me I'm sure of it! I saw him toss away-!" I glared at the small boy. "You people of Zaun! You are all vicious people! Liars! Corrupted! No different from Noxus!"

Huffing, I turn to make my leave.

…

A soft stream of warmth awoke me from my slumber. The suns familiar radiant gaze caused me to jolt up and reach out for it for I haven't felt its true warmth since childhood. But it was all just a hoax. The heat from the sun was not fresh but muddled by the sickly air of Zaun.

Sighing I fix myself into a better sitting position and massage the back of my neck. Another day here, another day wasted not being with my people.

Quickly I stand and bump my head against the ceiling. Looking around while nursing the sore spot I realized that in my daze of exhaustion I made a small hut for myself from stone. Luckily I made an air hole for myself or else I would have died from the lack of air. Pride swelled my chest as I broke apart the earth and allowed it to collapse. Patting the ground I thank it for giving me shelter for the night before heading off into the streets once more to find the docks.

"So…" I halt my footsteps. "You're a...an earthbender…" My eyes dart around before landing on a figure sitting on some steps in front of a door. "Hey, I'm not here to judge or anything."

It was the older boy- from last night. "You!" I clench my fists. I had no true reason to be angry at him. He wasn't the one who stole from me but the fact that he was associated with one who did made me want to simply pound him with rocks.

"Listen, I heard the story from Roni- the uh, the boy who stole your purse." He held his hands up as he approached me. "I just wanted to return it." One of his hands lowers down to his pockets, his gaze never breaking mine, as he fishes out my purse and held it out to me.

When he saw I wasn't budging he simply tossed it at me to which I quickly caught. "Everything is still there, I promise. I made sure of it." The boy smirks while shoving his hands inside his pockets.

I didn't bother to check whether or not it was true, what was left was not even enough to buy a morsel of bread.

"The names Ekko." He says as I placed my Shuriman rocks within my purse and hid it away. "And you are…?"

I remained silent and instead focused on dusting off my cloak. In my culture names hold power and because of that knowing someone's name is a privilege, something I thought he did not deserve.

"I see you are not from around here and a long way from home." He coughed awkwardly.

I snap my head at him and touch the place where my hood should be. Frowning, I quickly pull up my hood and turn to leave but Ekko stops me with a grab on my arm.

Quickly I snatch my arm away from his grip and immediately felt embarrassment burning at my cheeks.

"Look, I understand your attitude towards us- we made a bad first impression." I clutch the spot where he touched me and tried to rub away the burning feeling it left behind. "But you can't just glomp everyone you meet into one box."

"G-glomp?"

"You know...put together? Either way, Roni is a good kid believe me. He's just misguided and it's my fault."

"Misguided? Where are his parents?"

Ekko glances away for a moment and that was all he had to do to tell me the story is a sensitive topic.

I move my grip over my heart and bow my head. "I am sorry."

He shakes his head. "Don't worry 'bout it Brows, you didn't know."

"Huh? Brows?"

"Well I don't know your name so I gotta call you something and your eyebrows are-"

"H-how!" Flustered I cover my eyebrows and look away while trying to stop the blush that was working up to my face.

"Don't take it the wrong way! It's just a nickname!" Ekko laughs before scratching the back of his head. "It's uh...it's cute."

I glance at him wide eyed and tugged down at the hood of my cloak. Awkwardly we stood in the middle of the street as the city began to bustle into life with people on their way to work and the occasional yowl of a cat or dog.

"I need to go-" I murmur.

"Let me show you around Zaun. The real Zaun." I could feel his hesitant hand over mine that remained clutched onto the hem of my hood. As much as I wanted to go along with him I could not. The remembrance of my people needed me as I needed them to stop Azir from reigning once more so I shook my head and smiled politely to him.

"I have a mission, Ekko. One I could not deter from."

"You talk like it is a matter of life or death." He smirks while dropping his arm.

"But it is."

At that he frowned slightly and nodded. "But maybe you can help show me the way! To the docks. I need to catch a ship to the Freljord in order to get to Shurima."

"Freljord? Why not No- Bilgewater? Or Demacia- that's a better shot if you could somehow make it there."

"Bilgewater? Demacia?"

"Wow Brows, do you live under a rock or something?"

"Well sometimes…" I bit my lower lip.

Ekko snorts and crosses his arms. "Anyway, Demacia is closer to Shurima than Zaun but you'd have to go through the Great Barrier and yada yada- deal with the those people of the Sun or whatever."

"You mean the Rakkorans?"

He nods. "On top of that Zaun and Demacia aren't exactly the best of friends. Those stupid Zaun officials sided with Noxus which caused Zaun to become this toxic wasteland of a place." Ekko sighs.

"I understand your frustration, Ekko. I too love my tribe and Shurima and would hate to see it go to waste." I smile gently up at him and touch his arm. "That is why I must make haste and go to this Demacia so please, tell me how to get there."


	3. When I left him

Ekko explained to me the only way off of Zaun and towards Demacia was to go through Noxus. He told me with tentative and knowing eyes, as if he too could understand my distaste of Noxus.

There I was on my own for he never left Zaun since he was a child. And he calls me sheltered. We planned to visit the docks during the afternoon, when the last ship for Noxus was sailing in order to, embarrassingly, get to know each other better.

Ekko and I were of similar age, he was just a year older. We talked a lot about our homeland over a meal that he prepared when he invited me over to his place.

He truly cared deeply for Zaun, saying that it was the place that would build the future- not Piltover. When I asked why he had such a negative image for Piltover he simple said that they were "the true thieves."

"Everyone here seems to hate this place, Piltover and its people. When I first arrived people mistook me as one and even threatened to kill me." I said.

Ekko nods, sticking out his lower lip as he stared at his empty plate. It's something he does, I've notice, when he is deep in thought. "Yeah, people here blame what happened to Zaun on Piltover and I don't blame them. The shit they have done to us...to me...it's justified."

"And what have they done to you?"

"Stuff."

I nodded, "Do you hate every Piltie?"

He stays silent. "You did say that it was wrong to glomp everyone together."

Ekko sighs and taps his forehead against the table top. "I know...I know…"

"They must have done something very wrong in order for you to feel this way."

And that was when he told me the story about his childhood friends, a girl now named Jinx and the other Vi. Ekko was close friends with Vi and he begrudgingly told me his past feelings for Jinx but awkwardly emphasized that it was in the past. I giggled at his notion before he continued on telling me how Piltover stole them away or more specifically Caitlyn, their sheriff.

"But of course there are other things. How they stole all of our ideas and sold us out when we needed them most. We were first in the technological revolution, creating things that never existed before and making the world a better place because of it. Until Noxus came along and out came Viktor and all this other crud…"

"I'm sure you will make Zaun great again Ekko, you have the determination of a hungry Xer'Sai." He tilts his face up towards mine. "It is a void creature that roams a part of the desert. Disgusting creatures. But...I can see it in your eyes and feel it in your soul that you are destined for greatness."

He smiles slightly. "As are you Brows. As are you."

"Must you call me that?!"

Ekko jolts up, mimicking my pose with my hands on my waist and my chest puffed out. "Why yes! I do! You never told me your name."

"It's Taliyah!"

"Well Taliyah, it's a pleasure to meet you." He takes my hand and hesitates for a moment before shaking it. "I am Ekko, the boy who shattered time."

"The boy who shattered time?"

"Yeah, that's what people who know me call me nowadays since I created this nifty little machine that could allow me to travel back in time."

I gasp a tad bit loudly and grasp his arms. "Is this true? That is amazing! Can I see it?"

"S-sure?"

He gets up and motions me to follow him down the hallway and into what I presumed to be his room. It was a small room, with just a bed, a desk and box filled with clothes. "Sorry for the mess." Ekko says before getting on his knees and taking apart some floorboards.

There I see the same luminescent stone I saw when I first met him and a second contraption with two cone like stones.

"It's like an hourglass!' I mumble stepping closer to Ekko. "May I touch it?" He nods and places it gently on my hands.

It weighed heavily on my hands but nonetheless I gazed soulfully at the two stones that shimmered beautifully under the faux light. "These stones...where did you find them?"

"Oh...that...well let's just say I found them."

"They are beautiful...and so much like...home. These stones!" I gasp. "These stones! They are from Shurima! How did you find them?"

Ekko simply shrugged as I gasped and squealed in glee. "Oh! Ekko…" I handed him back his machine. "I am glad they are in your hands. I am sure you serve them with a just purpose."

"Right…"

"You will, as my master always says "Never let fear consume you. You consume fear."" I clasp his shoulders and smile. "Never doubt yourself."

"It isn't that-"

I shake my head. "You may visit the past any times but it is best not to live on it."

Ekko laughs suddenly and grabs my hands. "For a sixteen year old girl, you are very wise."

Blushing, I murmur, "My master and parents have taught me a great number of things. Things I will never forget. I am always willing to teach others their lessons."

"Right well, thank you Taliyah." Ekko gives my hands a squeeze before dropping them. He turns his head towards a clock on his table. "It's almost time for the last ship. We better go."

Ekko turns away from me, putting his contraption back into the floorboards, and glancing back at me.

"You could wait in the hallway, I'll be out in a second."

Nodding I make my way out and leaned against the wall next to the doorway.

I knew I had a duty to my people and had to help them from Azir but no matter how many times I reminded myself of this I still felt a small urge within me to stay in Zaun.

Biting my lower lip, I shook my head. No, this was not the time for this. This is my mission and I refuse to fail my people and Master Yasuo. I must carry on.

"Ready?" Ekko pops his head out.

I turn my head, "Ready."

…

We reach the docks in time and see that the ship for Noxus does not set sail for another few minutes. So we instead take a seat at the docks and watched the ocean cascade onto the rocky beach beneath us.

"You and I are very alike." I say.

"Oh really?"

"Oh yes, not only are we of similar age but we also hold the same principles in life. And have a strong fascination in the sciences as we talked before- with Geology and um…"

"Theoretical physics."

"Yes, that." Ekko snorts and shakes his head. "It's very interesting! With all the um, theories and such."

"I believe ya' Brows."

I look down at my hands and began to twiddle my thumbs. "W-what I'm trying to say is...I feel a weird connection with you. Almost like the connection I had the first time I discovered my relationship with the earth."

"Oh wow, quite the confession Brows."

A wild blush floods my face as I grip my cloak. "I-I just thought I would say this since I may never see you again."

Ekko stays silent, making the same facial gesture when he is in deep thinking. Some time passes by and I finally calm my heart down enough to question what he was thinking about.

He scratches his nose and leans back on his arms. "Well...I don't know how you would take this."

"What is it?"

Ekko turns to face me with an expression I could not read. "When you left the room...I may have sort of turned back time."

"Turned back time? For what?"

"Lets just say Taliyah I feel the same way." He smiles at me and his smile made my heart sing a thousand choruses. He felt the same way? About me? I giggle slightly, trying to contain my jubilee before it got out of hand.

"So what did you do when you turned back time?"

"What a person who likes a person always does to show affection."

"Exchange their hand-made cloaks?"

"Uh…" Ekko snaps his head up to the sound of a bell. "A little bit more physical Brows. Or a lot- who knows."

"What? You know."

Ekko gets up and helps me up. "That I do."

He leads me down the steps towards where the ship was docked all while holding my hand. I contain my blush and immediately felt awkward at how I was handling this.

"This is it Brows. Our last hoorah." He holds up a hand before I could question what that was saying it isn't important.

Behind Ekko I could see people begin to shuffle down the stairs to board the boat. The realization that this was truly the end caused me to frown and squeeze Ekko's hand.

He looks around, puffing out his lower lip. "Maybe I could go with you…"

"No! No! Your place is here. It is my fate to help Shurima as it is your fate to help Zaun." I whisper. "I am sure we will meet again. The Great Weaver had us meet for a reason."

Ekko nods, knocking his forehead onto mine. "Later, Taliyah."

"Until next time Ekko. Water and shade to you, my dear friend." I release him and give him a tight hug before stepping back.

Reaching inside my cloak I tear off a loose thread and presented it to Ekko. "It is...a tradition of thanks among my people. It is for you remember me by."

Ekko takes the thread and ties it on his belt. "I wish I could do the same but…"

I shake my head. "No worries. I have a memory better than a Shuriman camel."

He smiles before fishing something out of pocket. There he produces a black glossy stone with shades of amber and lavender. "Found it when I was out getting food- thought you might like it being a lover of stone and all."

I take the stone with a smile and give Ekko chaste kiss. "Thank you." Quickly I bow my head and pulled my hood up before making my way towards the ship at the sound of the captain's last call for boarding.

I watched as Ekko stood at the docks at first dumbfounded and then one of sadness as he waved me off.

I watched him when he turned to leave and even still I still watched until Zaun was nothing more than a speck amongst the horizon.

Only then did I turn away.

* * *

E/N: So long, Jinx. Hello Taliyah! Thanks for reading about my hot and new OTP. Thanks Rito. I'm definitely going to write more about them. I don't know they are going to meet again or when but the Great Weaver has plans for them...yes….


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